New JUTC Rural Express Service

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has announced that with the influx of 93 buses into the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) fleet, a new rural express service will be launched.

On Wednesday (July 16), the new buses were handed over to the JUTC during a ceremony held at the company’s Portmore Depot in Braeton, St. Catherine.

The units comprise 63 compressed natural gas (CNG) and 30 diesel coach buses. An additional seven CNG buses will arrive in August for special needs commuters.

Minister Vaz noted that 15 of the diesel buses will be used to launch a long-haul premium travel service, which will connect commuters to various parish capitals at a starting cost of $2,000.

“Of the 30 new diesel buses, 15 will be dedicated to launching a new JUTC rural express service, offering premium travel on long-haul direct routes from the Half-Way Tree [Transport] Centre to Negril, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Mandeville, with minimal stops – just one or two per trip – at an introductory fare of $2,000,” he  disclosed.

The Minister added that the move is another way for the Government to provide commuters with safe, comfortable and affordable transportation for long-distance journeys.

“We are providing competition in the Government to make sure that those who can’t afford the private transportation that is being offered, that they have options,” he said.

The remaining 15 diesel buses will service the current premium bus routes and support the demand for charter services.

Meanwhile, the 70 CNG buses will be deployed along new routes that will be served by the Spanish Town depot.

“The JUTC is also expanding routes out of Spanish Town, with new services to Linstead via the highway, Spanish Town to Kitson Town, from Longville in Clarendon to Kingston,  Linstead to Kingston… and Spanish Town to Mandeville,” the Minister said.

In the western end of the island, the JUTC Montego Bay Metro will also extend its bus routes.

Minister Vaz stated that come September 2025, buses will be transporting commuters from Montego Bay to Lucea, Savanna-la-Mar, Cornwall Courts and Green Pond; and from Lucea to Negril.

He further announced that there are other routes being considered for Savanna-La-Mar to Whitehouse in Westmoreland and Falmouth to Wakefield in Trelawny.

“Further route assessments continue, because we are going to reach into every nook and cranny of Jamaica to provide reliable, economical and safe transportation for our citizens,” Mr. Vaz committed.

He informed that the Montego Bay Metro buses increased from six in August 2024 to 22 in July 2025, and 10 more buses that are currently in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR) will be added to the western-based fleet.